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Have Baby, Will Travel

Summer is a wonderful time for bicycling and today’s child seats and trailers let you take baby along for the ride. Before you head out, however, make sure his neck is strong enough to withstand the jostling and the weight of a helmet, which, for many babies, is a few months after they can first hold their heads up. Talk to your pediatrician to make sure your child is ready to take to the road.

Here are some other tips and tricks to help ensure safe and happy outings:

  • In some jurisdictions, bicycle passengers must be at least one year old. Check your local laws before getting started.
  • A child seat mounted on a bicycle can make it unstable, so practice with a load of books equal to your baby’s weight strapped in the seat.
  • Consider using a front-mounted child seat so you can keep an eye on your baby while riding and get him in and out more easily.
  • You may want to try a bike trailer, which is more stable, can carry multiple children, has room for toys, books, water and snacks and provides sun protection. Look for a model with a roll bar and five-point harnesses.
  • A baby should always wear a helmet when riding in a child seat. It may not be necessary in a well-designed trailer, but some say it starts a good habit and provides extra protection in case the trailer rolls over.
  • When buying baby’s helmet, make sure it’s specially designed for infants and sits so it covers the forehead.
  • Be especially attentive to your baby when he’s in the child seat and the bike is stopped and leaning against something. One wiggle can topple them both over.

Source: www.ibike.org

Consult your physician or dental professional if using another fluoridated product.

Helpful Tips
for Parents

Ponder the Pacifier

Whether or not to use pacifiers is an age-old debate, but the American Academy of Pediatrics gives it the thumbs up through the first year of life. Sucking is comforting, familiar and calming to babies and a pacifier can be the ideal way to provide contentment between feedings.
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Drive Time

You’re always careful to protect your baby from the sun’s harmful rays with sunscreen, clothing and a hat when he’s outdoors. But did you know he also needs protection when he rides in the car for an extended period? The glass in car windows blocks some but not all ultraviolet rays that can cause sunburn, so if possible, move his car seat out of direct sunlight and apply broad spectrum children’s sunscreen to his exposed skin.

Hand in Hand

Are you wondering whether your baby will be right-handed or left-handed? Be patient; it may be months or years before you know for sure. Most babies start showing a preference for reaching for things with their right hands between six and nine months, but it’s not until they’re 18 months or older that they start using their preferred hand more consistently. By age three or four, their handedness should be fairly evident. If it’s not, you may want to talk to your pediatrician.

Source: “How Handedness Develops in Infants,” by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P., www.drspock.com, June 10, 2001